Our vulnerable dunes

Last year we were stranded not far from where we are camping now: something in the spring system of our vehicle snapped. Luckily we had our good friends, oom Herman and Fanus Louw, nearby to lend a helping hand by getting help from the Cape. The only thing left for Jacobus and me to do, was set up camp somewhere here and be patient. This was a Friday afternoon and a mechanic would probably only arrive on Monday if we were lucky. With a very strong wind from the south-east, shelter was the most important thing. In one of the little valleys between the dunes we pitched our tent and were ready to be modern day Robinson Crusoes - survive till help arrives. 

To be able to find our tent in the midst of all these identical dunes, Jacobus devised a flag from his red shirt and some kind of pole he picked up somewhere. After finishing the task of carrying water and other supplies from the bakkie to our camp, we took time to explore and check out our surroundings.

Just outside our tent we already saw the first signs of small animals living here - small tracks of different kind of animals. Different types of beetles having trouble with their bagage and the dunes, a Namaqua Sand Lizard disappeared swiftly in the bushes. As we went along, we started to be even more aware of all the nature around us: Southern Double-coloured and Namaqua sunbirds flash from one shrub to the other. African Stonechat, Karoo Prinia, Ant-eating Chat, Cape Long-billed Lark, Karoo Scrub Robin and Namaqua Warbler make themselves heard every now and then.  Meanwhile we try to identify all the different mammal tracks in front of us:  Aardvark, Black backed jackal, Meerkat, Genet and of course all kinds of mice. Nearer to the beach we found tracks of Grey mongoose and Water mongoose.  The Cape clawless otter also lives here, but I've only seen them close to rock pools and rive mouths.

The flora was also present in diversity and variety! While driving through these landscapes, everything looks quite dull, but if you go through the trouble of really seeing and not only looking on the surface, you would be able to identify a wealth of plant species. This region is called the sandveld.  And because plants are not my strongest feature, I did some reading.

The sandveld region stretches almost across the entire West Coast of South Africa: from the Orange river's mouth to Blouberg beach. At some points it is only a few hundred meters wide, at others up to 30 km! The sand in this region is nutrient poor and you'll only really find low shrubs and small trees here and there.  Succulents on the other hand are in abundance. Especially vygie and naboom (Euphorbia) species.  In the north you would most likely find golden spurge, different vygie types (donkievy, skerpioenvygie) and ostong.  In the south other vygie species will be more common (pienkbosvygie, silwerbosvygie, seevygies) sour vigs and red pelargonium.

The survival of plants and animals in this region, is mostly thanks to the dunes offering a buffer between land and sea. Dunes not only function as a natural sand reservoir for the replenishment of beaches during periods of erosion, but also protect coastal areas against flooding and wave damage. Vegetation is vital to the functioning of dunes as it helps to trap mobile sand and so stabilise dunes.  Dune vegetation is able to withstand salt-spray, wind and smothering by sand.  Dune vegetation also provides a protective habitat for animals in this otherwise harsh environments.

Three major zones of vegetation can be identified on coastal dunes.  In zone 1 just above the flood mark, you'll only find the hardened species like sea pumpkins. These plants can withstand strong winds, high salt loads and rapid sand movements, typical of the unprotected sand regions.  These brave plants trap windblown sand so that small mounds, called hammocks, form around them, initiating the development of fore-dunes. These plants are adapted to grow ahead of the accumulating sand stabilising it so that other plant types can become established as the dune matures.

Zone 2, the established dunes, is found more inland. Communities of shrubs and clumbed bushes, like waxberry, currant, hottentot`s fig, honeythorn and metalasia are found here. Part of these species are a huge variety of herbs, creepers, climbers, succulents and annuals.

The older, more stable dunes form zone 3. These are vegetated by a dense community of dwarf trees and shrubs with a compact canopy flattened by wind pruning.  Instead of a dense under-story there is a thick layer of plant litter covering the sandy floor.

Not counting the endless insects and spider species living in the dunes, 932 vertebrates have also been recorded from South Africa`s dunes and although the number increases as we move from the western coast to the Natal coast, the Wast Coast support the highest number of the 31 species that are endemic to the dunes.  Of these, 13 are listed in the Red Data Book as in need of conservation.  Endemics include interesting species like the Namaqua Dwarf Chameleon, Namaqua Dwarf Adder and Namaqua Dune Mole-rat.

This is the reason why the destroying of the dune vegetation by trampling human and livestock feet, overgrazing, invasion of alien plants  and the misuse of off road vehicles is not only disastrous for the dunes themselves, but also to the vulnerable ecosystem hidden behind them.